Lost But Never Far From Friend
by KiraStorm
Summary: The night of graduation, three new villians will rise. They steal Flora's powers. Distraught by the loss off her winx. Flora decided to leave the life she has and starting a new. But shortly five years later. The Winx are kiddnapped by the same evil that stole from Flora. Never knowing what happened to their friend, they are shocked to be rescued by ...THe PLANTEERS!
1. Prologue

_**Chapter 1 - Lost and Graduated **_

_**Night of Graduation**_

_Flora watched ask her friends danced with their boyfriends. They spun around and around the dance floor . She could see her beloved boyfriend being dragged about by his uncle. She couldn't be , would be the finial time she would stroll about Alfea's quad as a student. _

_She turned away from the festivities. To walk along the hedges of lilac roses. She thought of the day she planted them. The night , Helia kissed her in the shadows after the Day of the Royal's her junior year._

_After, she was out of sight of the others. She could sense she was being watched. She could feel their see upon her back. But without warning whoever they were, decided to make their entrance with ..._

_BOOOOMMMM!_

_"AAHHH!" Flora screamed as the blast shot her off her feet and crashing into a wimbo weeping willow. _

_Three figures stepped out off the shadows; the youngest wore a knee length gown in a deep emerald. Cat-green eyes radiated her oval fair face, lips painted a deep blood red framed with pale blond hair that barely grazed her shoulders. With only two thick streak pearl green that made up her bangs. _

_On her right was another girl, which seemed to be a few years older. She wore a bikini top of pitch black lined with silver edging. She also wore above-the-knees-length black skirt with silver chain belt hung about her waist. Her midnight black hair was cut in a pixie style , framing eyes the color of moonstone. She too had two streaks in her hair the color off silver._

_Flanking her rear was a girl, with a simple gold sheath of floor sweeping length. Her hair was a wavy waist length crimson red, with almond shaped eyes the color of topaz glittered from behind a curtain of her reddish gold locks. Strangely , what caught Flora's attention was the fact, she had three long claw-mark mare her cheek._

_"Awe, lookie what we've caught, a fairy!" The youngest cheered._

_"Ohh, shut it, Toxic, you're getting on my nerves." The Red head said, flicking her hand causeing Flora to be pinned to the tree a foot off the ground,"let's just take her power and go before her friends come running."_

_"Acidia, right the explosion will have drawn their attenntion." The girl with moonstone eyes said asked she address the youngest._

_"Fine, Poisonia..." Toxicia pouted._

_"Who are you?" Was all Flora could choke out._

_"None off your concern, flower brat!" Moonstone eyes said before raising her hand and reciting ,"TERRIA BURNIUS REMOVIUS GAIA SOLDIERIUS DEMISSIUS." Flora heard her friends' panicked strictened voices so close but she knew they would never make she would never tell them what they took from her._

_Suddenly, a glowing green orb was pulled from her chest. All she saw was Bloom andthe girls burst through the hedge then the world faded into the black off the night..._

**Flora is in trouble now with no powers now how can she stand beside her friends...her boyfriend. She take the only alternative she sees... She disappears leaving behind everything she had ever held close; her friends, her family and her beloved. Knowing if she stays she woul indanger all off them.**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 2 - 5 Years Come and Gone

_Its been 5 long years since Flora disappeared, 5 long tear drenched years. The Winx searched long and hard for their friend. But always they came up empty handed. Ask the years passed, the tight group of friends broke apart. Though they went on with their lives. They would check in weekly hoping for some new lead on Flora but none ever came. Helia went on to teach passive offensive techniques at Red Fountain, along side Riven. _

_While both Sky and Brandon went on to inherit thrones. Brandon married into the royal family of solaria. He couldn't be happier with Stella by his side. No longer was he a squire with an unknown destiny, but a king in his own right._

_Sky went on to marry Bloom (no duh). Though, they still have a difficulty with political opinions, they married happily._

_The biggest surprise of them all are Riven and Musa. During the school year at Red Fountain, Musa spends her time away from Riven recording her latest beats. After the school year is over, they spend the summer touring together. Riven proposed to Musa after only being apart six months._

_Aisha went on to agree with her a arranged marriage to Nabu (yes, Nabu has been revived). The two are virtually in separable. They keep a close watch on the gate to the infinite ocean. Though, Aisha keeps a closer eye on Nabu not wanting to lose him all over again._

_Tecna and Timmy both went into business together building, designing and improving inter-realm disaster rescue gear. They married two years after living together. As Tecna logically deduced 'it's only appropriate to see if we can coexist togather.' Timmy rightly agreed, though he had already bought her ring. Luckily it didn't go to waste._

_Stella as always is taking the fashion world by storm. While ruling with a fashionable hand._

_Even though they live worlds apart from each other now. Our girls make a point of getting together once a week for a briefing on anything of Flora's whereabouts. But after five years nowhere seemed to be where Flora was. Not surprising as she was one of Alfea's most highly trained fairy. So, if she wanted to vanish, she could do better then Chris Angel any day and thrice on Sunday_.

_Bloom &amp; Sky_

Bloom sat alone in the atrium. It had become her place of solace. It was her way of being connected to Flora as she moped. She remembered in their freshmen year how Flora had over run their dormroom with plants, it was ok. Until, the girls had found Tecna bound and gagged by one of her more unruly specious.

The memory of that day caused Bloom to laugh aloud to her self. To Sky it was like a song from the heavens. Her laughter was rare these days and it weighted heavy on the young king's heart, "I haven't heard that sound in so long." He said to announce his presence.

Bloom looked at him with the same look she had when they first danced together at Alfea. "This place reminds me of her sooo much it helps as much as it hurts, but I can't seem to stay away."

"I know, Helia's the same way. Riven say he teaches his classes in the forest." Sky said sighing feeling useless unable to ease the pain in his friend's heart, "Nature is the only connection you guys have to her. Each of you are dealing in some way."

"I know, I heard from Timmy, that Tecna has been designing virtual meadows is her spare time." Bloom said with a saddening smile on her face at her very logical friend do something soo illogical.

Sky went to sit next to her sharing the large boulder. He stroked her hair,whispering, "She's fine, if she wasn't she would have come to is by now."

"I know, Sky, I'm just worried about her..."

"I'd be more worried about your selves!" Came a wickedly vial voice behind them. They spun around in time to see only a pair of moonstone eyes peeking out of a cloud of purple that nipped at their ankles.

"SKY!" Bloom shouted as both she and Sky were enveloped in the poisonous cloud. She felt her body seize up, then her vision blurred and the bleed black.

The last thing she heard was "She'll have to come out now, won't she, Bloom..." Came a cackling laugh. Poisonia, wasn't aware of the koi, in the miniature pond watching her as she took Sky and Bloom's limp arms and disappear in a puff of smoke. Or that the koi had vanished from the pond altogather.

_Solaria_

"No! No! No, I said I want sprite green not lime green for the nursery." Stella shouted at the painters. Brandon couldn't help but cringe as Stella ordered the room to be repainted. He knew why Stella wanted that specific color. She, like all the others were deeply effected by the loss off Flora. But what the girls didn't know is that Flora had left with extremely low winx levels and the guys agreed not to tell the Winx or Helia about the dangerously low levels or that Flora could have died with such low levels.

"Is it safe to come in?" Asked an all tools familar voice.

"Not quite,yet musa, unless you have an opinion on lime green verses sprite green, Musa."

There was along pause, then, "I think we'll stay out here..." She said. Brandon turned around on the 'We' part, to see not only Musa but Aisha and Tecna standing there.

"Well, isn't this a sight for sore eyes," He said coming to get a hug from them each in turn, "What bring the Magix realms most beautiful and intelligent ladies to our humble kingdom." He bowed dramatically, the girls laughed at his tomfoolery.

"We came to get Stella for our weekly debriefing/lunch date." Tecna said as if it was obvious.

"Where the guys?" Brandon asked.

"Timmy had to to Red Fountain to reprogram their defense system, so, Nabu went along to check up on Helia and Riven." Aisha answered rolling her eyes. "You would think he was married to Riven, the way they talk on the phone."

"Hahaha, Stell, says the samething about when I'm on the phone with Sky." Brandon chuckled, "It could be said the same when she's on the phone with Bloom."

"What could be said the same, darling..." Came Stella 's voice from right behind him.

"Nothing, honey!" Brandon replied quickly, know trouble would follow swiftly when she used that tone.

"Reeealllly..." Stella asked

"Positive!" Brandon answered, quick to remember that the last time he made a crack about her, she spelled the bedroom door, so every time he touched the door his clothes made would transform into women's clothes. It wasn't till he showed up dinner wearing a feathered and sequin cocktail dress that Stella reversed the spell, after having to sit across from that horrific sight.

"Goo..

"POSITIVE THAT YOU'LL DIE BY OUR HANDS SOON ENOUGH!" Called a vial voice from above them.

They looked only in time to see a pair of cat-green eyes ask The hall seem to fill with an acidic green fog that burned their lungs. Unable to transform, each collapsed on to the floor unable to breathe.

"Seven down, four to go," Hummed Toxic, "oh fairy, oh little fairy, where are you? Four more then their no more."

Toxic hadn't noticed the phoenix, with plumish the color of fire, sitting on the railing with a first class seat to the attack. It feathers ruffed at the sight of Toxica. It quickly took flight ask Toxica telaported everyone away. It need to report the attack.

_You heard her Seven down. Four to go. This going to be a 2 part chapter. Let's just hope Riven, Timmy, Nabu and Helia can do little bit better than others. And watch for another spy._

_-phoenix - fire_

_-koi - water_

_What could be next?_


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Distress

Red Fountain Forests

Riven and Helia, both stood at the edge of the crystal lake. Before them stood a class of twenty young heroes in training. Helia with his hair cut to a jagged shoulder lengt, held a leva-board in one hand and a clipboard in the other as he listened to Riven give out instructions.

"All right everyone! Line up in single formation!" Riven shouted, "you are to make it to the other side of the lake without any verbal communication between your teammates. If you are caught talking in any form. To insure that you don't Pro. Helia will be following at close distance.

"Those violation the rules of this test will in fact have to go on a survivalist trip with us for two weeks during your spring break," groans broke out among the trainees, "don't like it?" Helia asked as many of them winced at his accusations, "then don't cheat." Helia mounted the board that was hovering a foot off the surface of the lake.

"Get Ready!" Each group tested the bond of rope that tied each team together.

"Get set!" They nodded to each other.

"GO!" Riven shouted as he waved a flag.

The boys were fast, Riven thought to himself, as the boys took off with Helia hot on there tail. Not thirty seconds into the 'communication test' that Helia blew his whistle, disqualifying a team. And five minutes later another was blown. "Only three teams," he said to himself just as a third tweet rented the air.

"How is he?" Came a voice from behind Riven, he made no move to grab his blade, he knew that the owner of that nasally voice was no threat. But he turned to greet one of his oldest friends.

"Still devastated, long time no see Timmy and Nabu." He nodded to each in turn not needing to ask who the 'he', his friends had been referring to, "you're the one putting in the new system?" Timmy nodded, "not surprised there, Mainframe."

"But still, he' still in denial about everything?" Nabu asked, Riven just nodded, "that's not good it's been five years."

"But she's his 'the one', it would be like asking Sky to move on if Bloom had been the one to disappear or even Stella." Timmy scolded Nabu, "what if it was Layla? Would you be able to move on just because time is passing."

"No, wouldn't…" He looked out over the lake to where Helia stood lecturing the cheaters, "I would wait two lifetimes to be back with her."

"We can't make him move on," Riven said his eyes drawn to Helia, " but we can be there to catch before he hits rock bottom."

"I guess…" The three stood there watching Helia.

Once the bell rang announcing the end of classes, Helia walked over to them carefully avoiding the rickety old dock. They knew exactly what the dock meant to him. It seemed that most of the forest had some memory of them. When he reached them, they could see the pain that seemed to be retched in the frown that seemed to be a permanent fixture.

"Timmy! Nabu!" He tried to smile but it came out as a grimace, "what are you guys doing here?"

"The girls have their weekly lunch date today." As soon as words left his lips he immediately regretted the slip. Helia's eyes lite with hope, but they all knew that it would quickly be snuffed out once word had reached them that another meeting had come and gone but still no news on Flora. It killed each of them to see their friend's suffering.

"I'll call Musa for the update, if you want" Riven said gently. Helia nodded and waited as Riven dialed Musa's cell. After a moment worry bloomed in his face, "she's not answering…" That one sentence had everyone pulling out their phones and dialing.

"Layla's not!"

"Tecna isn't either!"

"I can't reach Sky or Bloom!"

"Brandon's not either!"

Fear rushed over them, as they realized something had happened to them. After Flora's disappearance they had put in place protocols that if no one answered their phone while with the others or alone, it was to be assumed that something went wrong. And everyone was to mobilize immediately.

But just as they made to run back to Red Fountain to alert the headmaster. Helia spotted three things out place:

The forest had fell utterly still

A butterfly resting on top of squirrel's head

A eerie sickly gray fog was rolling toward them at an abnormal rate.

He did the first thing that came to mind when being approached by an u know opponent, he yelled, "RUN!" Then bolted for the path that led to the school. But found it too had been cut off. Soon the four specialists stood back to back, careful not to look away to long. It was then that they saw it, pair of topaz colored eyes that gleamed back at them.

"Once we have you. She'll have to come." Said a voice coming from the fog, they had two options either they tried to fight the fog or allow it to capture them. After a brief glance around he knew that the guys were all thinking the same thing, this fog knows where our girls are and will take us right to them. So, with the silent communication. They stoaded away their weapons and let the fog envelop them. Helia's vision started to blur when he noticed that the butterfly and squirrel still watched as if wanting to know everything that was happening. His last concious thought,_ Flora said that nature could sense and would flee danger, then why are you still here._

On An Island Far Away

"No, you tell her!" Wheeler said as he watched the petite brunette beat at the punching bag, doing a combination of kicks and jabs.

"No! You!" Gi hissed back as the brunette did a difficult spinning heel kick.

"Oh, for crips sake." Links said before she pushed wheeler through the door, "just tell her."

"Tell me what?" Said the brunette as Wheeler laid sprawled at her feet.

"We lost visual on them." Blurted out Gi.

"It was trio striking again." The brunette froze as she was removing her gloves. She didn't need to ask the who's. She already knew the answer.

"Where?"

"We're tracing them right now!"

"Then let's go get'em." The brunette before taking angry swing at the bag. Making it slip free from its hook on the ceiling.

_-Squirrel-heart_

_-butterfly-wind_

_Keep reading!_


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Acting and Reacting

_**Cavern **_

When Helia opened his eyes, all he could see was a looming darkness held off by a small source of light. He could barely recognize the surroundings as being cavernous He could hear a buzzing noise. It took a moment for the buzzing to filter through his muddled brain. Then he heard it.

"When we get free I'm gonna leave scorch marks on you hide!" Stella raged.

"Stella, keep calm and think of the baby." Brandon soothed, but none of the girls were everything but calm.

"I'll make sure, you'll never hear another sound for as long you live!" Musa screeched!

He could Riven say, "better them then me…"

"Which won't be very long, once I get my hands on you!" Layla growled.

He heard Nabu say, "Don't taunt the villains, honey!"

"This is a highly illogical but I agree with Stella! We'll fry you, like all the others!" Tecna spat out. He rolled his eyes at what he hoped was the ceiling, not wanting to even try to hear Timmy's opinion.

"You're gonna regret having messed with the Winx!" Bloom bellowed, it took him a moment to recognize the trio that held them hostage. But what he remembered turned his gut to ice. They were the ones who had attacked Flora all those years ago. Rage boiled inside him at being face to face with the ones who drove his beloved away. They had ruined everything that was great and good about Flora. They had trampled his beautiful winter rose.

It was too much for him, "YOU STOLE MY EVERYTHING FROM ME! YOU'LL PAY WITH BLOOD IF I HAVE ANY SAY IN IT!" He swore, he could feel all eyes on him but he could have cared less. They robbed him of five years with Flora. And he would be damned if they took one of the others from his friends. His vision turned a bloody red.

"Ha, you fools!" One cackled her moonstone sparking in the reflection of the flame she held in her hand, "we have already won and once she comes—"

"We'll be the all empowered—"

"Pollutants!"

"I am Toxicia, destroyer of waters" said the one with cat-green eyes.

"I'm Acidia of the acidic elements," cried out the red head.

"And I am Poisonia killer of air and plants!" Said the woman with moonstone eyes.

"What do you want with us?" Sky inquired of the three.

"To finish what we started five years ago—"

"Stripping your friend of her powers—"

"We have collected powers of nature from almost every realm—"

"We will be virtually invincible!" The trio cackled, their laughter echoing off the walls of the cavern.

"Where are we?!" Sky demanded.

"The caverns of the Lost Souls!" Toxicia announced throwing her arms out in a grand gesture, twirling about.

"It's the one place that will absorb good magic, such as your little pixies!"Acidia added, a gasp reverberated throughout the cavern.

"That's right, Pixies," Poisonia jeered gleefully, "The great Winx Club will be powerless and if your friend doesn't hurry. All that will be left of you will be rotting corpses!"

"What friend?" Riven growled, "and how will he know where to find us?"

"She," Toxicia corrected, "you don't really believe that she would leave, you guys, without keeping a close eye on you?"

"You're lying!" Stella cried out, it was in that moment when everything clicked together.

"You want Flora…" Timmy guessed

"Give the Geek a prize!" Acidia mocked, Helia could see everyone looking at each other as if to ask 'do you believe her?'. He could feel his heart trying to force itself from his chest with every pulse. Could it be true, had Flora never truly left them. Yes, in body but in spirit? He could not bring himself to hope and be led a stray once more, " of course we want her, she is the only one to live after we removed her powers the last time we met. Her death should have been but she managed to resist and was able to retain small part of her powers."

"Never have we ever come across such an conundrum."

"How could she be able to do so without dying?"

"How could she do so at all?"

"She's a Winx!" Bloom shouted, "we are the best!"

"Not true, if you are truly the best, as you claim then how do you proclaim that you will escape those bonds of yours?"

"Like we'd tell you." Stella rolled her eyes.

"Let's leave them to their plotting and planning, I'm famished there's a loch muddled with Acidic waste in the Starry Cross realm." Toxicia temped, the others just nodded and with a wave of Poisonia's hand. The south facing wall collapsed into the ground like a sliding door. Trio left without a backwards glance at their hostages. Once, they crossed the threshold the wall slide back into place.

"Do you believe them?" Musa asked the gang.

Stella was the first to reply, "I don't know what to believe, Musa. We've looked everywhere for her—"

"Maybe not everywhere but we try." Layla conceded.

"Who cares if they're telling the truth about Flora!" Riven raged, "how are we we going to get out of here?!"

"He's right lets focus on getting out of here." Sky said.

"It wouldn't be a problem if I could reach my p.d.a. I could piggy back off one of the inter-realm satellites and send an S.O.S. to Red Fountain."

"Brilliant, where is it?" Nabu asked.

"In my bag that they confiscated…" A groan rented the air.

_**On board a ship**_

"We've got a lock on them." Wheeler announced as he monitored tracer screen.

"Preparing decent." Links told the group as they buckled up.

"How many clicks out?" The petite brunette asked

"Forty!" Gi said as she measured the distance ratio.

"Suit up everyone! And be ready for anything!" Kwame shouted.

The ship began to shake and rattle, "there's movement on the southern side of the area—" Ma-Ti investigated.

"Measure the strength of a level one earthquake." Gi said as she glanced at the sensory map, but this area is thousands of miles from any fault lines."

"Or a wall falling into the ground." The brunette said as she saw the side of the cliff move, "how much longer?"

"We're on top of the target." Gi replied as she rechecked the instruments.

"Good! Let's go planeteers!" Kwame said, as he hit the release button. The team assembled in the bay just as the cargo door open.

As they jump from the ship, Wheeler shouts, "Let's get'em!"


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4—Rescue and Reverence**

_**Above Cavern of Lost Souls **_

"Where is this place?" The petite brunette asked as they landed atop the cliffs.

"The Cavern of lost souls." Ma-Ti said as he checked Gps, "people are brought here to die—"

"Not my friends!" Snapped the brunette.

"That's what we're here to prevent," Wheeler said "but this place is known for sapping good magic out of magical beings." That comment earned him a collective group head-slap.

"You don't need to tell her that!" Linka snarled.

"I'm just being factual!" He muttered back, Linka went to slap him again but was stopped by Kwame.

"We need to figure a way inside," Kwame said as he stood between the two.

Linka huffed out a breath saying, "You're right I'll beat some sense into him later."

Wheeler looked a taken a back, "Fine?"

"Is it possible to gain entry the same way our targets did?"

"Not likely, they'll be watch the doorway," the brunette said.

"We could go around see if there's another exit." Wheeler suggested.

"My scans don't detect any other entries." Linka responded.

"A hole? We can use it to creep in—"

"And fall to our deaths if we miscalculated the distance to the cave floor."

"So we can't go forward and we can't go around or under?" Ma-Ti said aloud.

"What about above?!" The brunette said, everyone gapped at her, "we could cut a hole with a six yard diameter though the cave ceiling but first we need to locate their heat signatures. That's where you come in Gi do a satellite scan of the cave." Gi nodded and went straight to work, "Wheeler, I need you to scorch a perimeter line, remember six yards,"

"We could use Linka's power over air to cut into the ground," Kwame suggested inspired by the idea, "but won't the chunk of earth fall through?"

"Yep, and that will be our cover," she told him, "but if this place really does drain powers. We need to give them some type of boost."

"Princess Stella would already get a boost from the sunlight that will be streaming in," Kwame listed.

"I can boost Princess Layla," Gi suggested, the others nodded approvingly.

"Then I got Bloom," Wheeler told them.

"Linka and I will cover Tecna and Musa—"

"No, just Tecna. I got a plan for a boost for Musa."

"Then let's move, guys!" Kwame said and everyone went straight to work, though he pulled aside the brunette saying, " I don't want you down there."

"I'll be fine!" She tried to argue.

"But with how low your Winx is,I don't want to risk it."

"I'm going and that's that." She turned to stomp away.

"He'll be fine, Flora!" He shouted after her, she turned and simply nodded. Before going back to work.

_**Inside the Cavern of Lost Souls **_

Everyone was quickly losing hope that anyone was coming. The guys tried to formulate A plan but each time the girls told what would they even tried to use their Winx.

"Stella are you still with me?" Brandon asked for the umpteenth time.

"No, I'm a rotting corpse," Stella replied sarcastically.

"Not funny!"

"Then stop asking!"

"Would you lovebirds stop already!" Riven snarled, "We need a plan for they come back."

"Riven's right!" Bloom said, "We need to be ready!"

"Well, our first step is to get free," Timmy said as he tested his bonds with no success, "Anyone got a knife?"

"Nope!" Rang the reply throughout cavern.

"If we had light—" KABOOM! The roof came falling to the ground. Flooding the room with light, "that works too!" Timmy shouts above noise.

"Is everyone alright?" Sky asked pass a chorus of choked coughing.

"I'm good, man" He heard Brandon call, others followed. Helia looked up in time to see a rope be shot across the hole of the cavern. Then he saw a figure of a person slide down the rope. Only to stop halfway across the hole, he say the person give a signal before flipping UPSIDE-DOWN! Then start to plummet towards the ground with a "YIPPEE!"(couldn't think of a better way to say it)

"Looks like your friend has finally arrived!" Came a voice from the shadows, everyone's head whipped around to see the trio! "ACID BLAST!" Called Acidia, as a blast of a sickly green blast shot at the diver.

"FIRESTORM!" They yelled as a counterattack, as blue flames shot back. That was NOT Flora, alright. The trio jumped a part as flames shot toward them.

"Who do you think you are?" Poisonia screamed igniting her hands with a flick of her wrists. As a Redheaded guy in a kaki vest with an emblem of earth on the back, landed on the balls of his feet.

"Wheeler the welcomer. Your ghastliness!" The redhead said bowing, "guardian of—"

"We don't care we'll fry your ass," Toxicia cut in,

"Ok, but I'm one of six!" With that he whistled a shrill sound! Then five more line dropped down. Five more propelled down he could see they all wore the same vest except one…

"TOXIC FLARE," screamed Toxicia as she aim for the person without a vest. But before the blast struck…the rope was cut and she started to fall. As another shout rang out, "GENTLE BREEZE!" And a strong but delicate breeze was suddenly in the cavern. Before their eye, the ghost that had haunted Helia's days and night, landed right in the middle of the cavern…Flora!

"Looks like we finally get what we wanted!" Acidia clapped gleefully!

"I wouldn't 't count on it." Came Flora's reply as the others dropped down beside her, "GO!" She shouted.

The team ran toward the girls, except one. Helia felt a twinge of fear as they stood before the girls. With a nod to Wheeler. He opened his hand and sitting in his palm were six mini fireballs. He through all of them at our girls burning through the ropes, the sixth struck Bloom in the chest. He watch as a fierce red and gold aura. He could feel the heat.

One of the others, a girl with short black hair caught the girls before they hit the ground, with a stream of water. Then she too produced a ball, a ball of icy blue water in her hands. It shot from her hands was absorbed into Layla. She too was engulfed in aura but of greenish blue. The other girl lifted Tecna up on her back. And ran towards the ropes. She quickly produced something from her pocket sand before he knew it she had Tecna out of the cavern.

"Your friends won't be much help this time!" Poisonia crooned.

"True, because this time," Flora said as she reached behind her grabbed something, " I won't need it!" With a flick of her wrist a Bō expanded in her hand. He saw her press something on her attached to her side. Suddenly music blasted through the cavern. Echoing off the surfaces. It took him a moment to recognize some of the lyrics;

So, here we are

That's pretty far

When you think of where we've been

No going back

I'm fading out

All that has faded me within

She took a pose he was all too familiar with. Her back facing the girls. Soon it was a mass of twirling and swinging. He saw her Bo land several blows. He saw everything and knew his Flora had changed but she was still the same.

You're by my side

Now everything's fine

I can't believe

You found me

It took him a moment to figure out what was going on. His head spun back and saw Musa lighting up as well. He went to go help the girls. But was pulled up short when the ropes binding him to the stalagmites, pulled back! He looked around and saw pandemonium. Flora and another guy were busy holding off the pollutants. While the others help get the girl out of there. He caught the eye of one of Flora's partners. The kid had shoulder length hair, he deviated from the girls long enough to cut us loose, "Come we must make haste," he said to us gesturing wildly at the girls. We charged forward, looping an arm around each girl. Once, we got Stella and the rest out. Flora began to slow.

"She tiring," Helia said.

"Then we must go now," said the blond girl.

"What about Flora?"

"Kwame will take care of her, don't worry." He was just about to argue back when he realized that he had been so distracted that they had him strapped in a harness. Ready to go up

"Wait!" He panicked but too late he was already going up. He watched the fight below him just in time to see Flora stumble and fall. He didn't get to see what happened as the brightness blinds him in that moment. He fights tooth and nail to return to the cavern but was unsuccessful. The boy who had cut him loose, dragged back to the shuttle, where he saw each of his battered friends strapped into the cargo seats.

"We need air now!" The boy shouted, his friends do not hesitate in following his direction but a roar of argument erupted from all of us. We had lost Flora once and weren't willing to go through that again. But our rebuffs fell on deaf ear as we took to the sky. They had been in the air for a minute when a green and bronze beam shot from the deck to the ceiling and two figure appeared after the light faded.

It was Flora and Kwame. Flora was collapsed in Kwame's arms, she smiled through her unconscious state.

"How is she?" Helia asked, Kwame carried her and laid her head to rest on Helia's lap.

"She'll be fine." Was all he said before joining the others in the cockpit.

_**TBC—**_

**_Whoa_**_**,that was intense. Stay put we're not done yet! Find out what's going on!**_

_**Happy Memorial Day to Veterans all over the world.**_


	6. Chapter 5

_**Author's note- Just found out that I'll be graduating next Summer with my associates degree can't wait! One more step closer to my English degree! Yay! I want to share the news with all my fans! Wish Me luck!**_

_**Chapter 5—Silver and Gold **_

_**Hope Island**_

"I WANT TO SEE HER NOW!" Stella scream at Linka, as she guarded the door.

"No."

"Why can't we see her?!" Bloom questioned coming up to stand by the blond.

"She is resting."

"Why don't you have Kwame, do what Wheeler did to me? Give her a boost."

Linka crossed her arms, getting annoyed with the stubborn redhead, "In her case it's more complicated than that."

"Why?"

"Are you three years old?"

"No."

"Then stop asking questions that we aren't able to answer yet."

"Why—" Linka shot her a look that dared her to finish that sentence.

Helia could understand the girls distress after having her be missing for five year and then to just reappear in front of them. It was unreal. A dream that he prayed to never wake from, "what do you know?" He asked. Linka have him a gentle smile an apposing contrasts to the scowl she gave Bloom and Stella.

"Not as much as we would like, I'm a afraid, Helia." She responded.

"Can you tell us what's going on?"

"That will be discussed later today after you rest."

"Fine!" Stella said giving up and heading towards one of the beds. Helia say Linka's shoulders drop as if exhausted.

"Have a good rest. I will return with news of Flora, once you all have had plenty of rest." She turned and left the room. He heard the click of a lock being engaged. Everyone must have heard it as well because they're shoulders slumped. They grabbed a cot each closer to their loved one. Except, Helia, he sat against the wall for what seemed hours. Till. He heard the click of a lock and Linka reappeared."I knew you would not be resting," she sighed and stepped aside, " there is a lot that you need to be told."

Helia walked passed her she relocked the door once more. The two continued to walk along a winding path. That lead outside. They stopped walking once they entered a clearing that held a dark young man the same one that had brought Flora back to the ship. He stood at their arrival.

"This is Kwame, guardian of Earth." Linka said, "he is our leader." Helia immediately understood why Flora and Kwame had fought together. They shared the same core of power…nature.

"I am Helia."

Kwame nodded, "we are aware of who you and your friends are," he gestured to the rocks and sat, "once, Flora joined us under…a temporary consignment."

"Why?"

"I'm getting to that," he sighed, "when we found Flora, she was weak and getting weaker. We could not figure out what was wrong. One day I tried to scan her with my earth ring but for some reason the power kept getting absorbed. By my ninth try, I saw that her eyes were open and she was watching me warily. So, I looked her in the eyes and said,'well, you could've said something'. She laughed and I helped her sit up. I called Wheeler to bring her some food next thing I knew my team flooded the infirmary. After we fed her, she told us everything. We asked if she would join us."

"And what did she say?"

"Only till I can get my Winx back but only if you put my friends under surveillance. I won't risk those three coming after them."

"But I never saw anyone following me."

"You wouldn't she configured a psychic connection with five different animals of our choosing. I was designated to be your spy. Didn't you ever notice a butterfly that was constantly around?"

Of course he had, but he had taken it as a sign that Flora was always with him. Not that the butterfly was a spy, "continue.."

"Well, we've managed to isolate the problem Flora has and why she can't transform—"

"What do you mean she can't transform!?" He shouted cutting Kwame off.

"As I was saying it's due to the trio taking large amount of Winx out of her by force. Though she managed to fight back and sustain enough to stay alive, but just barely."

"Why did she leave? Why didn't she ask for help?" He pleaded trying to get answers.

"Not really sure. She never gave an answer." He sighed, "I know she was ashamed of herself, because anytime any of us would mention reaching to any of you. She would get this look. A cold dead look and say 'they have other lives now and I can not be a part of them the way I am now'." He knew Helia was at a boiling point but found it necessary to continue, "over these last few monthls she has been unable to do much. Her physical wellness being linked to her Winx. Strains her. Most days she can't be very far from me. As you can probably can guess, my power over earth helps her function. But as of two months ago, she found a way to restore her power."

"How?"

"Destroy the trio."

"The Pollutants?"

"That's what they call themselves?" Kwame asked genuinely surprised, "never had much of a conversation with them. It's always 'we'll destroy you and everything you love! Wa ha ha ha!'. But I guess you were in their company long enough to find out more. For us they are always guerrilla hit and run tactics."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, they hit us then bolt. Flora is really losing her patients. Gi has been working on a way to solidify the three—"

"Solidify?"

"Never, noticed that they favor an astro projection?" Helia looked confused, "the fog they take the shape of."

"Oh, ah no I never noticed that,"

"You were a little too busy trying to stay alive." Kwame smiled as if it was not a big deal, "as I said Gi is working on a way to solidify them but we're not having much luck, though."

"Timmy and Tecna are the best tech-wizs. I know!"

"True but we believe that there is a time and a place fore when such secrets must be revealed."

"But—"

"You'v told him enough, Kwame." Said a voice that made Helia's skin itchy. They turned as one to face the newcomer, but Helia knew who it was by the scent of lilacs and fresh turned dirt. There at the edge of the clearing stood Flora half in the shadows of the trees, "it's time…" Kwame nodded getting to his feet, but Helia looked confused as Flora disappeared back down the path she came.

"Let's go man. It's time."

"Time for what?"

"For a squad meeting." Kwame said as he led them down the same path Flora took. Helia started to remember an old poem he heard as a child;

Make new friends

but keep the old.

One is silver,

the other is gold.

He could hear Stella's voice saying, "we thought you were dead!" The last word was like a knife to his heart. He had told Flora countless times that he loved her and she loved him. But when it came to down to a life and death situations. She had left him, allowed him to believe her gone. Well, she had some answers to give now.

A circle is round,

it has no end.

That's how long,

I will be your friend.

_**Control Center **_

_I have spent five years of my life on this island. Watching my friends live their lives. I was happy for Stella, expecting the of the next generation of the Winx Club. Things between Musa and Riven have really smoothed out. Now that he no longer felt the need to compete with Sky. Nabu was back where he belonged, right next to Layla. Everyone had come into their own since grad. But seeing them standing there in the middle of the control center, made me want to weep. Especially for what I was about to do. _

A fire burns bright,

it warms the heart.

We've been friends,

from the very start.

"We thought you were dead!" Stella yelled, coming to hug me. But Flora put her hands up to stop.

"Everything I did and do in the last few years has been to protect you guys from harm. That made everyone frown, even Heila, "each of you were never out of my sight for long periods of time. My new friends here would help by taking turns.—"

You have one hand,

I have the other.

Put them together,

We have each other.

"Who are these guys anyway?" Musa asked crossing her arms.

Ma-ti steps forward giving a bow at the waist, "Allow me," he looks around the room at everyone. Before he addresses the girls, "I am Ma-to guardian of the heart, and we," he throughs out his hands in a sweeping gesture that encompasses his team, "are the Planeteers!" No one looked very impressed.

"And your point being?" Layla asked with a flick of her wrist, as if swatting away the useless information.

"They're friends of mine. Good friends," Flora responded.

"But we're your friends, Flora!" Stella whined

"So are they,"

"But—" Musa was cut off.

"They helped me through the hardest year of my life—"

"We would have too if you had told us!" Bloom argued.

Silver is precious,

Gold is too.

I am precious,

and so are you.

"I knew that but I wasn't going to drag you guys into another battle. Just as we're about to leave. I couldn't do that to you guys." Flora sighed leaning back against a control panel, "graduation is a ceremony that marks a new chapter in our lives. I saw the attack on me, as sign to the next part of my life. I knew it had to be alone."

"That's the thing, Flora, you don't 'have' to do anything alone." Sky countered wrapping an arm around Bloom.

"True but it's the path I chose," no one saw her hand slip over a small blue button.

"Now that we know what's going on. We can help." Tecna added gripping Timmy's hand. It tore at her heart but sometimes what's best for others isn't always best for you, "yeah we can fight like old times." Musa cheered.

Flora looked at the faces of her old friends and shook her head, "I can't let you do that…" She pressed the button while they started talking at took them only a second to realize that they stood on a teleport pad. As the floor lite up. They tried to run off the pad but the containment barrier had already dropped into place. Flora watched as her friends banged on the barrier, pleading with her to shut it down. She watched with tears streaking down her face as her friends vanished in a flash of light.

"Didn't see that one coming." Wheeler said as he watch Flora, "we can call them back anytime, we need help, you know." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at him, smiled a sad smile before saying three words, "Silver and Gold…" She hugged Wheeler tightly before turning away.

TBC….


End file.
